Gunze Sangyo 1/48 Dorvack VV-54AS Calibur Special Kit First Look

By Sundiata Cowels

First Look

The 36 episode anime series "Special Armored Battalion Dorvack" , seems to have obtained a cult status here in the U.S.. Originally and only broadcast in Japan and Hong Kong from October 1983 to July 1984, it told the story about an alien invasion in the far future of 1999, by a resource starved race known as the Idelians, who resolve to conquer the closest hospitable planet in effort to save their dying population that has been adrift on a colony ship for several years. Unfortunately that hospitable planet is none other than… Earth!

To repel the seemingly unstoppable Idelian onslaught, the Earth Defense Force unleashes their Special Armored Battalion Dorvack. Dorvack units were equipped with humanoid styled mechanical weapon systems or "Mecha" that could convert (or transform) into all terrain vehicles.

The show was a showcase for the Takatoku toy line and the models were licensed to Gunze Sangyo. This particular kit, the VV-54AS Calibur Special could transform into a jeep and was piloted by the character Masato Mugen.

Contained within a sturdy cardboard box, the top box cover shows the modeler a picture of the finished jeep overshadowed by a line drawing of the "Mecha" running forward, weapon at the ready.

There are 104 parts to this kit, spread out over four trees, the primary media being plastic styrene. You also receive a micro tube of plastic cement, three trees of small orange plastic washer/grommets and metal pins that will allow your finished model to convert and pose from a jeep to a "Mecha" and back again.

Although only in Japanese, the instructions are straightforward and include an excellent guide on the back, illustrated with color pictures, of how to pose your finished model and where to add decals.

Overall, the packaging is excellent.

Features: It converts from a Jeep into a "Mecha" and back again! And it's poseable! Now how much would you pay…

According to research, the Special Armored Battalion Dorvack TV show has not been re-broadcast, nor has it been transcoded to any recorded media. Because of this, there is no way of knowing just how accurate or inaccurate the design and markings are. However, what is provided is a nice set of decals that not only include unit emblems and hazard signs but a good selection of stencils. Gunze Sangyo also doesn't miss the opportunity to provide color coded call outs for their own line of paints and the modeler can paint the VV-54AS in one of two schemes; all over medium gray with orange arms or overall yellow with orange arms and gray details.

Because this show has not been re-released on DVD or any recorded media to date, it makes any model or toy from this series an instant collector's item. I received my model as a gift twenty or more years ago so I'm not sure what the MSRP was then. Today, a quick check on eBay shows that the going price for this particular kit is around $68 to $88 dollars depending on the condition.

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